Al-Yaum newspaper

We all agree that working in healthcare is a humane profession. Doctors treat patients, give them hope and place smiles on their faces. I was, therefore, totally shocked when I read a report about two doctors who were arrested by the police for selling illegal pills.

Both of the doctors are Arabs and they smuggled the pills into the Kingdom from abroad. A large amount of banned pills were confiscated. This is a catastrophe that makes one wonder if these doctors have any conscience at all. How could they dare to do something like this when the medical profession requires them to help and treat patients? These doctors most likely possess fake medical certificates or maybe they are criminals in sheep’s clothing.

As far as I know, Western universities do not easily award medical degrees to people. Students have to go through intensive training and complete difficult courses to demonstrate that they are able to treat patients in a professional and humane way. Apparently, these two doctors graduated from universities that do not practice such standards, or else how can we explain their disgraceful and despicable behavior? How could a doctor give his patients poison?

Perhaps it is the case that both doctors were being handled by foreign agencies who want to poison as many Saudis as possible and destroy the fabric of our society. Only the security authorities can confirm or rule out this possibility. There has to be a reason why these doctors violated the medical ethics code and turned themselves into ruthless criminals. Regardless of the reason, what they did is completely inhumane.

One cannot help but wonder how the concerned authorities and the Saudi Health Council gave medical licenses to these doctors. Why did the hospital where they worked not notice or spot their unethical behavior? A punishment that will deter others is a must. The punishment should be commensurate with their abhorrent acts.